As the first rays of dawn spilled over the horizon, the world's greatest prison, Impel Down, welcomed its visitors. Several Navy warships lay anchored silently outside its massive gates.
Meanwhile, the usually silent Level 6 was bustling with activity. A large contingent of prison guards, led by Magellan, had gathered to oversee the final transfer of Portgas D. Ace.
Every guard present was tense. Though the task was simple—escorting Ace from Level 6 to the prison gates—these few minutes marked the beginning of a war. And they all knew this war was inevitable.
According to intelligence reports, the Whitebeard Pirates had vanished from the Navy's surveillance over ten days ago. Even now, no one knew their whereabouts.
"Extract the prisoner, Fire Fist Ace!"
At Magellan's command, the operation commenced. The cell holding Ace was unlocked, and two guards moved in, each seizing one of his arms as they hauled him out.
At the last moment before leaving the cell, Ace glanced back at Jinbe, his eyes carrying an unreadable emotion.
That final look burned into Jinbe's mind. Though Ace said nothing, the message was clear—or rather, it was Katie's warning to him.
Jinbe was torn. He didn't know what to do. On one side was Whitebeard, the man he respected like a father. On the other was Fish-Man Island, his homeland. He couldn't bear to abandon either.
Time slipped away as Jinbe wrestled with his thoughts. Before he could decide, everyone had already vanished from sight.
"Forgive me, Oyaji… I'm truly sorry."
He repeated the words under his breath, guilt gnawing at him. He felt he had betrayed Whitebeard's years of protection and care. Regret and self-loathing filled his heart—if only he were stronger, if only he had the courage…
Meanwhile, in Level 5.5…
Upon hearing that Ace was being transferred, Luffy could no longer stay put. He burst out of Newkama Land, charging straight for Level 6.
Ivankov, unable to stand by and watch, quickly rallied their forces to follow, preparing for a full-scale prison break.
Seeing Luffy's desperation, Ivankov nearly blurted out the truth—but a cold, invisible pressure from behind reminded them of their precarious position. They swallowed their words and stayed silent.
Thus, despite the deviations, events were falling back into place.
Luffy and his allies began their escape.Magellan escorted Ace toward the prison gates.Blackbeard, lurking a dozen nautical miles away, was finally making his move.
Beneath the surface, unseen changes were unfolding—but on the outside, everything appeared to be proceeding as fate intended.
Marineford – Fleet Admiral's Office
In the vast office of the Marine Headquarters, only three people were present.
"Kuma! What the hell happened?! With your abilities, there's no way the Straw Hat brat could've escaped! Did you hold back?!"
The moment Sengoku received reports of the Impel Down riot, he had immediately summoned Bartholomew Kuma for answers.
Kuma remained silent, sitting motionless in his chair—no excuses, no explanations.
"Wahahaha! That's my grandson for you! Well done! Hey, I brought some new tea—want a cup?"
Only one man in the world would dare to speak so casually at a time like this—Vice Admiral Garp, the Hero of the Marines.
A vein throbbed on Sengoku's forehead. If anything, Garp's remark only infuriated him further.
"GARP! How dare you joke at a time like this?! If you weren't the 'Hero,' I'd have you arrested on the spot! Just look at what your damn family has done!"
Sengoku's roar shook the room. For the usually composed Fleet Admiral to lose his temper like this spoke volumes about his fury.
"Hey now, don't pin this all on an old man like me."
Garp's shameless grin made Sengoku sigh in exasperation. Of course, he could never actually arrest Garp—it was just an empty threat.
Setting aside their decades of friendship, Garp's influence within the Marines was too great. If Sengoku tried to detain him, half the Vice Admirals would likely plead for his release.
"Damn it… Give me that tea!"
Sengoku snatched the tea leaves from Garp's hand and stormed back to his desk, burying himself in paperwork.
Garp understood the unspoken message. With a light cough, he stood and left.
Kuma followed silently behind.
Once they were gone, Sengoku set down his pen and sighed.
He knew what Garp was thinking. Ever since the news about Ace broke, Garp's face had lost its usual cheer. In just a few days, new wrinkles had etched themselves across his features.
Sengoku understood Garp's pain. He even sympathized. But as the Fleet Admiral, he couldn't let personal feelings override justice and duty.
Outside the Office
"Thank you."
Once they were alone, Kuma finally spoke, his voice low. He knew Garp hadn't shown up by coincidence—he had come to cover for him.
"Don't mention it. You were helping my grandson, so I should be thanking you. But… let me warn you, Sengoku isn't easily fooled. He might already suspect you."
"It doesn't matter. I've already agreed to Dr. Vegapunk's final modification."
Kuma's tone was as calm as ever, but Garp's heart clenched. He knew what the "final modification" meant—complete loss of free will.
"That damn scientist never should've agreed to this!"
"It wasn't his decision. I requested it."
Faced with Kuma's resolve, Garp could only sigh. Everyone had their own path to walk. He could delay the inevitable, but he couldn't stop it. All he could do was respect their choices.
"Fine. Do whatever you want. What can an old man like me do about it anyway?"
Exhaustion weighed on Garp's shoulders as he trudged away, his lonely figure almost heartbreaking to witness.
Impel Down – Main Gates
Creak… Creak…
After what felt like an eternity, the massive gates of Impel Down slowly swung open under the watchful eyes of hundreds.
As the warm sunlight touched her skin, Katie couldn't help but relax slightly.
"Prisoner transfer. Let's make this quick."
Magellan's tone was strictly business.
"Agreed."
The Navy officer in charge was equally formal. Neither side dared to be careless—this was too important.
Two guards marched Ace forward, handing him over to the Marines. The exchange was completed without incident.
Katie didn't resist.
This was exactly what she wanted.
And with that, the countdown to Ace's execution had officially begun.